Breech mechanism



Opt. 27Y 1925.. 1,559,106

C. J, JULSTEDT BREECH MEGHANISM Filed July 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Shea?I l C. J. JULSTEDT BREECH MECHANI SM 2 Shelets-Sheet 2 1111911 July 22, 1921 I/Illl llllllll i passed Oct.' 27,' 1925,lv

1 @Be fit'; knownfthat 51,; CLAS 1J J 1jLslilDi,.a` Y citizenf of 'the United "States5ffand residingat ff Bethlehem, Lehigh ContygrState ofPenn Sylvania, have yinvented Vcertain new l'and iiseful mprovements k.,in1 l3reech .Mecha- 'nismsg'g of which' thefollowing -is a specifica- .tionlf u n E The present invention relates toi-:breech j f 10"'-n1echanis1ns andl particularly "to'such mecha'-r L .nsrns for guns having axallyvinsert'able and' removable.,- bree'ch -fblocks, as distinguished fromslaterallysliding breech blocks, andin `I generated. byv the bnrningfljof powder-or otlierlf'explosives l: :placed loosely f withinfv the ,pewder' chamber Tand notrv confined kwithin a cas1ng,'as}1n .lixe'd'ammilnltionf -f Y provided' withfonejothe?severaliwell known' Y. gases-' escaping 'at lhigh temperatures and pressures.'v` -Dev'ices :of :this f character,, such f v'as/the -Well 'fk'nown DefB'ange obturaton are v ysecured"to the ffrontfoffthe breech block and 30 lrnecessarily project 1 forwardly A a considerable j distance*trein'itsdaceinto'the vbf'ire' Of-"the grin! l/Vh fe-Lthefibreech i, block-'is supported 1 v'fon r a' lcarrier'pivoted t to the gun body4 'it Ihas usually been' onndffnecessarwy tohave the 35?' Iedgeiof'the obturator. pad Vwidely"beveled or th'e'fgas check `pad asf-nearly'- as possible parallel'y tothe laxis ofthe gun as it has been i found-'that destructive gas, leakage`- occurs whengtheannular walloffthegas checkpad 17 andthe seat -inA the powder chamber against whichfit -abuts makes arather large angle f witlij the' #gun 'axis or,v as Vcommonly stated, v hasiaff steep slope.77A l Tl1e object of the present invention is" to' fl'alfo'vide'af'breechmechanism'for a breech 'loadingfgunghaving fswingingbreech block provided withffaf gas obturati'ng device, in Whic'hltlie slope'of-theedge'ofthe gasv check ,Whichi,thafprojeaiie. is fpmpeiiedgbygases Breeclrffloading guns" .iitilizingf:looser-oli@ 'iinc'ase'd ;lexplosivefcharges v are 'f necessarily i f typesoffobturating devices-designed t "p reff; y ntfMir-meseape of gases'throligh thewbre'ech"` whei'il the, gun; isfired fand 'to' je1 1minate Ythe v scour ingYTandi l destructive" feliects of such Y onsiderable lai'i'glev foto i fthe faXis' 'of-l fthe 'v i be. ndrhemu oftheftubesaginst which* thfeedgfe fofthepad abntsalso slopedfor'bev:

- fractionfo revolution 'depending upoirfthe fLQOMANYIJOFBEmLEHEM@PENNSYLVANIA;AlCORPORATIONbETPNNSYLvANIA;`

[freedom of swinging I. movementQoff-V-:the

breech` block is not l-interfereolfwith-.The` invention may. have-various ein-loodimfen tsf''y and` iin the accompanying Y:da'wings' ione`'i form Vis killustrated byfway': ofjeXancple v r- In Y the drawings: ,Y y .v f Figure lrisia'top plan-view ofthe'breeeli endfofagun showingtheimpro-ved breech mechanism" with thebreech.openV nd tli'cflv 7; breech blockfswungasideyf l n '."Flgure2*sea'horizontalfsectionthroughlf, f t-he'breech end.0.f-1thegun; the breech being." f i .FigureSaisafrear elevation'effthegi i 'Fgurevis alside 'viewofthe breech en Y asviewed from the right.i(liligufrev 3f) g' ffii l Figure 5 is a section kon linelf-" kio'filjlig ure:` 3 ,vtthe l breech `loeingi open; fand?- v' Figure. 6 is asection on line/6%@ of `ure 3 Witlrthe biteechopen; *el The' gunl body: rnayib'e of a'nyv well l nox design-havingsingleftube:orilbuiltf'up n concentricftubes; or .wirewiappedfand? may berof fthe. rifle;I vhowitzer or mortartypelf fr Iny thejr drawings ythe' -'gun: bodygis "shown -toi Y comprise two concentrictubes?v 10 and w11* the interior of "the r,ear"1end off thefinneil tube 11-1Comprising@Provider-ffdumber, *dlptdr e to receivenncased explosive niaterial,l The breech recess l 12 :gis adaptedl ,to be fclosed? vby; theJ fcylindricah breech ".blockj lgtl and 'recesshaving therwellA 'linow Y ,i Y rufpt'ed .sth'read` vi n,terengagein 'ntjlso vthatl he`l block i may/, "bie 'locked and .junlo'cke tilting f it :thro-ugh: vl/GvthJ for flgthf o number"ofzseofnientsiintowhich;the'lthreadsi95j l i l receives aitubularispindle;f1.5 ext-endingvforw f wardlyfiorn the carrier 16. fllhis'ispindle l ris provi-ded vith. external threads` l 7 \vhich j vengage corresponding' internalf"tlireadsiof vthe breech bloeietlieselthreads having the f same pitch as *interengagingF threads-F101?" i freely rotated in beng'lockedlandijnlocke f v lilxtending` through vthef` tubularlspindle `15 isla secondis'pindlel8having-a'mushrooingz headlf) and Vwhich cemp'rises,i toget'lierfwitli i Y the check pads QOL' of:'asbestosftallow;

parane or other substance, and the customafy Split frlgS, an Obturatorl of the De Bange type. The gas check pad 20.,is frusto-eonical, itsl sideV wall making asmall angle with the axis ofthe gun. and thaty portion of the powder Chamber which contacts with the annular wall of the gas, cheek pad being also correspondingly inclined to the axis of the gun. Spindle. 1181is axially movable relatively to the breech block and upon firing the' gun it, is. pressed rearwardly and exerts; a strong pressure. .on the. pad v2O which expands radially and.. prevents the eseapei of; ges past its.' edges inf the. Well knownl manner.l The means fonrotatingthe block 13 in locking and unloekimgig:A the., same. includes cross'` head1 2L slidable; in a longitudinally extending guide 22 rigidly secured' to. the breech block,l and an operating lever .23.; connected by means of a shaft 24:` having a crank 25 and crank pin 26, tothe cross head. Movement of' the, lever l.23"toward` the lett (Figure Vil)y will. rotate4 theA block. in. a countercleckxvise direction and disengage .its threads from the threads of the bieeeh recess, and movement in the opposite direction after the threadshave been disengaged causes the. threads' ot block and recess to mutually engage.

The carrier 1,6;` hasa` forwardly extending arm 27` which, is .pivotally connected at its forwardendfto a link-,28 by means Voi' a pin Sil, the link 28 beingin turn pivotally secured;` to the gun body'by a vertically disposed; pin 29.A :The link 28 liesin`v an outwardly, flaring transverse slot 30 `and' may have a swingingmotion about the pivot 29 from the position in, whichA it isillus'trated in Figure `2 to the positions inl which it is illustrated in Figures 5 andf. Thecarrier and breechA block may therefore be moved axially of thegun, when the breech is unlocked, throughl a distance determined byy the extent of movement ofthe link 28.

The upper andl lower-surfacesv otarm 27 are provided with, cam grooves 3lVV toreceive4 the upper and lower rollers.l 32 secured to` the" gun body. These rollers are coaxial and serve. to guide the carrier in4 its.V longitudinali movements, the cam grooves being designedl to prevent the block from` swinging until its tra-nslatory movement is completed and being so Vshaped that substantially aXa-l movement o'l'gthe blockl during the swingingmovement of the linkis. assured- The armi 27- has extensions 33 the ends of which are eurved'about the axis of the bolt 34, asa center.l Zhen the breech isfclosed; these extensions lie in the positions illustrated in Figure. 2. Y

Assuming the. breech to be closed; and itisdesirednto open the same theghandle or operating lever 28 is movedv rearwardly. The initial movement of the handle causes rotation of the breech,v block, which is unlooked. As the breechL unlocks lit moves rearwardly axially a short distance relatively to the gun and carrier due to its threaded engagement with these members and at the conclusion of the unlocking movement it, is given a further substantially axial rearward movement by continued rearward' pull upon the operating lever, which causes the carrier to draw link 28 toward the rear, rotating it about pivot` 29, the breech block and .carrier movingbodily towards the. rear to. a distance. determined bythe extent offmovement of' the link `28 in the. slot 30; 'Y v l VVfhen the limitof` this rearward movement is Y reached, that4 is. when vthe link has reached the position illustrated in Figures 5: and` 6, the operatinghandle23f is. inV a substa'ntially,Y horizontal` position extending rearwardly anda sliglulpressure,fromA leit tonight onthis handle` isthen sutlicient to swingl the.. carrier about pivot etsothatthe block is swung totheside as slio\vn,iILFig ure l, inY whichr position` the gun may be freely examined and? ite-loaded'. Iny thisclateral swinging movement the. extensions 312i of arm 27 enter-.the slot 30 and their rounded ends Contact, with the walh ofthisV slot` so that forward` movement oi theV carrierand block is. positively,prevented; until' theblock has beenV again. `swung.into i substantial axial. alignment with, the` gun axis. Idolosing the action reversed, theibloul Swinging: about the pvQt.,-34L,tluoughan` angle of'V sub: stantiallyf and their the blockyandrcarriefbeingA neared bodily. forward whenilie extensionsbave disengaged the slQtBQ, thelink,ZSsniiIisSabOutithexpvot29.

'Ehe initial rearward: movement of thecarrier and block` in opening` the breech andthe Vfinal; forward. movement of thefecmembers in closing the breech is4 controlled by `the cam grooves 3l, androllers 32 which are so formed este constrain the block and carrier to, move Vin an almost straightpline until the link, 28has completedy its. forward or rearward swing.V During, the earflypartfot the Swing: of the breeelrbleck about, the` pivot Se, in opening, they rollers 232. are4 still engeged, in cam grooves 3l and allV possibility of the linlg28. starting to swing back to its origina!A position, is positively prevented. Aften lay small angle of swing has beentaccomplishedand before the rollers have 1 emerged 'beyond the en ds of, thecamI grooves the extensions 33;, have entered the slotd 30 and, forward movement of they link 28 pesitivelyprevented, in Figurel the paths eftthe, opposite edges of the obturating device arev indi;- Qated nidetted' lines.

it is desirable, especiallyv in mobile field guns to provide'. means for preventing,l as far as possible, the entrance oi` dust and grit intothe joints between the movingparts efr i'rom'gjentering the slot 30 .f-inv the present. instance',A f anch lpenetrating (to 'the' breech .5 threaclfsj,l .plate 135: isr .providedfthisplate .y havingtonguejtavhichiis pivoted'fon bolt 34. 2 As, .thelI Carriervmoves axially the'plate 35,galso' moves and', together with extensions 33, .forms iaI ,complete felo'surefor "the .outer encll of slot 30.. A' shoulder 37 on the plate' also serves asanfabutment, limitinggathe v Swinging `movement .of the"C carrier 27, .which totheA major axis, 'alldflhe'periphery of `the tongueE 36is cutgaway to' form; an abutment .f .40. fora coil.y spring lying in said-pocket;

1 fm'ake alarge anglewvitlrthefaxisof the gun 'fi'vhc'h' leads. as.ibferelxplnelto.the f @Si icape. .l of. destructive gases under high tem'- lp atu'ls'vand pressures Y f erl B a'tent-is:If.y

v combination, 'a lbreechbloclfr9 a Vcarrier there.-

for, and aflinl; securecl` tolsa1d carrierancl adapted to :be secnredtothe .tube ofja'l gun whereby; .the block 1. may@ be,v Egifven .flirst --an movement' inropenmg Y 2L @Af breech igmeehanlsm, comprising. in

' siuppo 1 -,tingv tjhey breeclibl'o'clcon 'the tube of a .5 gun, vsaith:means: ineludinga carrier for the i block,` .arid-L' a; membeifadapltecl' to :be .jpivotecllatt'ervand;pvote'd toftlie. Carrier. whereby the.

f.1'j `)s t=.f. setOitli.v A Y. v $35.111 a breech'.mechanismrin combina. tion, Va breech blockyanclf"means adapted:tovr l supportI the.-breeelibloclrl4v on the .tube of; a

' 1 y gun'including carrier 'onwhich thezblock f' isnrotata-bly mounted .and .a--linkgextellfling f ,ff-ally connecteclfto .the tube andtoone enc'lfogf' .i .the nalaat-ating. in mappen-liggend; in uw the directiorr'of rlotat'ionaof the carrier!y l InvA afbreech mechanism7 f in; .combinav tion,v breech block',!accar r1er '-orjlthei blockv axially .of the gun, a-ncl,v means: including 'a tubeugof a gun for-lateral sivflging'fnlovef; fhasapooperatmg alnitting.I surface38..A imentgandfmovementaxially ofithe'f{,fiijri,and

`porteol onfthe itubejanl ,to engagejthe car` `riergz-lit'or guidingthe rcarrier vin: vits axial vv-so that atall times fthe. platefgisfheld in Y tions 'abreech'l block,` a yjcarrie'r forlthe'y blocli ight jY for lateral p and substantially 'axial 'movey edges of; the, gras @heck abad' .Sfrhetthyl 'inent'relatvely tothe tube-,Emeans "fora-lock;

11jcombination7V a breeefhbl'ock,V anclnieansltOl?.

While-.tsbeing inolvectk axially, and lemeans 1 forglo'ekingrthecarrier againstE ajxialfinov carrierimay belmoveclfiirst longitudinally.'

. rand-.then laterally 'of the tube, for y.thepur-AV f f lrelativelythereto'"including Vafecar -meansxfor locking' t'hecarrie'r against.

. transversely-ofthe? tube adaptel1-toghepivotv 'gun in opening thebre'ech anclto-.reinainfin the'oar'rier'so that the. latteimay be swung' f laterallya and moved; axiallyarelatively toztlie V`when opening,..and .'elosingg`l the.v breech,

nationavith theftiibeand breeohffblo Y closing movement. in` adirection'jopposite` to vrand meansv for lockingthecarrier;against 1 having -aiglcaml groove,A "means adapted i support thecarrler on the tube of aguI.1f-for7k lateral` swinging movement and movement member adapted to' be 'securedy tothetubeq70` ancltoengage'the came .groove vin the fear-.i 1

rier, Yor guiding', the; carriera in .its axial movements.-. f l; -.KL 4.51..:Ina1'breeehei'echanism,.Y-ingcombinae.v tion,v abre'eclil block, aca-rrierfor the-block, 7.5;. means adapted to` support the carrieron; the

meansincluding l.af roller adapted; tol be sup-,1

having cam grooves jin its l'upper{andn 35S; i" sufaces,means adaptedntobe seouredto e i tubeyof a gunl for supportlngiv Vthegg'carrierzf Y to-guidethe sameingitsaxial movement. f,

thereto,fancl means onjthe carrier.. Vorf-l'ook.y

Ove'n 8.*1In abreechmeohanismfin combinal] tion, a .Ybreeehibloclf means vsecureol;itoxthe ofizaf. gunfffor.;supportingfl-saidvfblocky-OI lateral'fsvvinging ,movementand yaxial'jmo ve-l 19,5

ingfthefblock against swinging; 'movement i, v9.Inv a; breech -mechanism in Combinatie breechv block on the-tubeof a forl' ter-al;.g f.

swinging movement. and`= movemen movement Whilelitjis'jbe'ing' swung. laterally vsaid f meansgcomprising anextensio1io1i the,` i

carrieizradapte'cl'jto=engage the tube aivli'enf" f the lateralmovement of the; carrier, is l bel-,Y` lgo' engagement with the tube until the 'suin breechi :hasbeen substantially completed l0. {Ir' 1.;.a breech loadingVv gigun, the o1 carrier v `supportingzg fithe;=lo1 ee.ch l blfocl''f o tl tube and muntedjfor .j lateral i A movement fand :movement .axially VVof he axial' movement while' itis being swung later-ally.

11. In a breech loading gun,the combi-4v nation with the tube and'breech` bl'ocl'rA of a Y carrier supporting` the breech block on the tube and mountedf f'or lateral swinfnfingL movement and movement axially of the gun, means for y locking the carrier against swinging movement, while it-is being,` moved axially, and means for locking' thevcarrier against axial movement while it is being swung laterally. Y i

12. In a breech loading gun, inl-combination, a tube havingY af radial-fslotrtherein;

a breech block, a carrie-uforfthebreech-block,

means for supporting the carrier on the tubeincluding a member movably supported saidsl'ot, and a-plateconnectedl to saidlmemberV andf movable-therewith andi normally eX- tending acrossthemouthfof' saidslot"l te` een clude dust therefrom; 1

13. In a breeclr loading-l gun, in 'combi`l nation, a tube having al radialslot therein, a breech block, a carrier for the breech block, a linky pivotally supported insaid slot, a pin pivot/ally connecting:thelinkffand carrier, a plate- `pivotally 'supportedfforr ysaid pin and normally extending# across the mouth ofV saidy slotf toexclude dusththere` from. Y

in a-recess insaid tube, and means compris ingV an axially,` disposed plate pinotallyf secured to said member` andextending.i across the mouth ofthe recess, foriexcludifng.l dust therefrom, l f

16. In breech-mechanisinrfora gun',.the combination of acarrier,` al breech .blockton the carrier, said carrier. includi'ngz); an arm arranged substantially parallel to the block,- and a link pivotally connectediatnitsouter endto said arm andv extending transversely of the arm. and: block and Ladaptedi'to be pivotally connectedatl itsrinnerzend to a gun tube.

17'; Inbreechmechanism, the .combination of a. carrier, a `breech-block on@ the'carrier,l said carrier including an arm. arranged.` substantially parallel to the block, a. pivotwfor the arm, and4 alug ont-he armiandarranged forwardly andlaterally of thefpinot, said lug having a curved surface'which is rcoaxial with the. axis `of :the pivot.

18, In breech mechanism, the combination of a carrier, a breech block` on the carrier, said-y carrier= including` an arm arranged substantially parallel' to thev block-,1a pi-vot for the. arm, and alug extendingI forwardly and laterallyz of! the pivot andi having' a` curved-l surface coa'X-ial with the yaxis of? the pivot, said .arml having a i cam grooveI entering lat#- erally thereof andincluding:rx al portion which scoaxial with the pivot and a portion which extends diagonally ofthe arm. l n

' 19. In a) gum'the combination-of av gun tube, a breech block-for a tube7 acarrfier for the breech block, a link-pivotcdatits.A inner end tothe tube andcapable of swinging mo tien` longitudinally o-f the tube,` andl a= pivotal connection between the outer end of saidv link and the carrier. l

20L-In a gun, the combination# of a gun tube, a breech block forthe tube, acarr-ier forthe' breech block, aglinkpivoted `'at its' ine ner endl to said tubeandentendinglaterally therefrom, means forv limiting swinging ,motion ofthe link longitudinally ofthe tube, andv ai pivotal connection between the outer end; ofsaid link and the carrier;

21. I n avv gun,- the combinationof al gfun tube, a breeclrblo'ck for the gun, a `carrier for the breech block having an arm arranged substantially parallel to the block, said-@tube haying'aslot at its` breech end which flares outwardly, a'link pivotally connected tothe tube at the-inner endof the slot, anda pivotal connection between vthe youteriend of the link and'said armi.

22. Ina gun, the combinationwof a gun tube,` a breech blockv for the tubo,va icarrier for the breech-block 4haring an arm arranged substantially parallelftothe block,4 said tube having a 4laterally-extending slot at the breech end thereof l whiehrvfiaresA outwardly, the forward'sideof saidV slot terminatingliir a curved surface, a link' pivotallyconnectedtoA the tubeadjaoentfto the innersen'tlofr the slot; a pivotal connection between the outer Yend of the link and: said arm, and. aflug arranged forwardlyan'd laterally oilithe pivotalconnection andL having al curvedsurface which'is coaxial vwith the axisl ofi saidV connection, whereby the link is maintained-in its rearmost .position whenuthe carrieuis swung* about the pivot-al.connection. v

23. Inf a gun, the combinati-onrof.l a gun tube, zr=biee-clilblock .forthe tube, a carrier. for the breeclrblocks havin g an armiai'zranged substantially. .paralleltothe block", said tube having a-Vlateralslot 'near the breechL end thereof 'which flares .outwardly vand the' for.- ward-side oflsaidfslotterminatingI in a curvedi surface; a.. link1 arranged in=` `the slotV and pivotally. connected to the tube adjacent to the `inner end offthe= slot, ra :pivotal: connection between the outer endi of; the linkwand saidy arm, av lug. carried bythe'arm and eX- tending?r i forwardly andl laterally of the pivotal connection, said-lug having a curved which is substantially coaxial with the axis :Surface coaxialwith the aXis ofthe pivotal connection, said arm having a camv slot ar-'j vranged rearwardly of the pivotal connection and said slot includingan entrance portion *of the pivotal connection and a diagonal portion,` anda stationary member carried f Y, by the gun tube for engagement 1n Said camy 24,' In a gun, the` combination vof a gun tube,V breech' mechanism'including a breechv v",block and an obturator, ay carrier for"v the 1 A breech block and the obturator, a link pivotvally connected at its innerjend to the Vgun 1 tube and'extending transversely thereof and v. y capable of limited swinging motion longi-vr tudinally of the tube7 said link extending slightly forwardly of the normal to the tube passing through the axis` of thepivot for the link when the obturator is seated, la

' pivotal connection between the link-'andthe 25 ,tion Iofi-the link, the obturator is causedVV to travel in substantially a straighty line, and a t l lever swingable in a plane to connect and disconnect the breech block andto secure fore I ward and rearward motion of the block7 "'carrier, a guide connectionbet-ween the tube and thecarrier, whereby5jwhen`-the llatter tends to move laterally dueto rearward mocarrier, and obturator, saidlever being cay l pable of being swung in another plane when the block, carrier andobturatoi1 are atthejf` carrier about its pivotal connection.

gun tube,V a threaded vconnection between'-y the.

tion as the mutilated threads, 'a shaft carried by' the carrier, means forvtransmittingV rot-ary motion of said shaft to' the breech blockto rotate the latter to connect vaindldisconnect the Vmutilated thread connection, afv link pivotally connected to the gun tubeand `capable of swinging motion to a limited eX- tent longitudinally of the tube,aa pivotal con# nection between the link and the carrier, and a lever connected to saidvshaft and swing'- able in one plane to rotate vthe shaft for engaging and ,wdisengaging the 'f mutilated f thread connection and'for'moving the'l car-Y rier and obturator forwardlyr and rearv4 -i wardlywith respect to the tube andrswingable in anotherplane when the obturator and y carrierV are retracted to Vswing the fcarrier' '60e Inl testimony whereof I hereunto affix Inyf about its pivotal connection; i f

signature. p

'ffcLAs J.' ,JULSTEUD 

